UEP working on long-term plan for US layer industry

Chad Gregory, UEP president, says board of directors may unveil new plan for future of layer housing, welfare in the US at next board meeting in May.

With the
implementation date for California’s Proposition 2 less than nine months away
and with several legal challenges already filed or on the way, Chad Gregory,
president, United Egg Producers (UEP), said, “Even Hollywood couldn’t create
this kind of drama.” Addressing the audience at the Egg Industry Center’s Issues
Forum in Indianapolis, Ind., he said that the UEP board had met over the last
two days to try and devise a strategy for the future of the U.S. layer industry.
He said that he hopes that a plan will be approved and announced at the UEP’s upcoming
legislative board meeting in mid-May in Washington, D.C.

Gregory reiterated
that UEP is no longer working to secure passage of the national hen welfare
legislation, the so-called Egg Bill. He would not comment on the specifics of
any of the proposals that the UEP’s board is considering, however, he did say
that it will be a long-term plan for the entire country and is not a measure
aimed just at the California situation. The next six to seven months provide
the last window of opportunity for the U.S. egg industry to get out in front
and lead a transition to a future that it desires, according to Gregory. The
implication was left that if the industry takes no action, the future shape of
the industry could be decided by outside forces.

Gregory expressed
concern that the battle over how birds will be housed to service the California
market, including the publicity over the various lawsuits, may hurt egg
consumption in California and the rest of the country. He said that the
American Egg Board and UEP will both have to work to devise public relations
strategies to deal with the negative publicity that the egg industry will likely
garner in the coming months.